shebeen

noun

she·​been shə-ˈbēn How to pronounce shebeen (audio)
chiefly Ireland and South Africa
: an unlicensed or illegally operated drinking establishment

Examples of shebeen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There was a lot of shebeens [unlicensed bars] and blues parties in our area. — Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 7 May 2026 Outside a shebeen, a lean-to bar common here, a group of men sit on a bench in the mid-afternoon sun. — Peter Rudden, CNN, 3 May 2021 After a long day down the shafts, mineworkers would gather at rowdy makeshift pubs called shebeens, and play famo. — Kate Bartlett, NPR, 29 Sep. 2025 The shebeen queens were some of the most powerful people in the community. — Beth J. Harpaz, chicagotribune.com, 1 Mar. 2018 See All Example Sentences for shebeen

Word History

Etymology

Irish síbín illicit whiskey, shebeen

First Known Use

circa 1787, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shebeen was circa 1787

Rhymes for shebeen

See All Rhymes for shebeen

Browse Nearby Words

she-beech
shebeen
Shebek
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shebeen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shebeen. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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